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SPRING VALLEY — The city of Spring Valley now officially welcomes gun ranges with open arms after the city council approved an ordinance on Monday allowing them into the city and the conditions they must meet.

Recently, the city’s Planning Commission met to make recommendations for the ordinance after many weeks of researching gun ranges.

“It was well presented and well put together,” Mayor Cliff Banks said.

Petitioners for a gun range license must meet many criteria including:

• No food, drink or alcohol in the range area at any time.

• Petitioners must apply for a license through the police department; it will cost $100 and be renewed each year following an inspection by the chief of police.

• The range may fire both guns from the range itself as well as properly contained guns from outside the range.

• External ammunition can be used as long as it has been inspected by range staff.

• The ranges are allowed to be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.

The ordinance allows gun ranges as a special use to areas zoned M1, B1, B2 and B4. Anyone interested must apply for both a building permit and a gun range license.

Business owners Ed Zeglis and Craig Parsons are anxious to begin the procedure and the city may be able to get the applications to them this week.

In other business, city engineer Jack Kusek said Well No. 10 is still producing clean samples, and there has been no additional word from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The company that provided the microbiology for the wastewater treatment plant lagoon sludge has put together a maintenance proposal, but Kusek had some questions he wanted answered before giving it to the council. Alderman Mike Richetta said rumors going around the city that the council wants to raise water rates by $30 to $50 per month are false. They are looking into ways to fix the city’s various water issues without raising the rates.